636day.year
Arab–Byzantine wars: The Battle of Yarmouk between the Byzantine Empire and the Rashidun Caliphate begins.
In 636, the Rashidun Caliphate delivered a decisive victory over Byzantine forces at the Battle of Yarmouk, securing control of the Levant.
In 636, the armies of the Rashidun Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire met at the Yarmouk River near modern-day Syria.
Under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid, the Caliphate’s forces outmaneuvered the Byzantines with superior tactics.
The battle lasted six days and ended in a crushing victory for the Arab army.
This defeat forced Byzantine withdrawal from Syria and paved the way for Muslim control over the Levant.
It is remembered as one of the most decisive encounters in early Islamic military history.
The outcome reshaped the balance of power in the region for centuries to come.
636
Arab–Byzantine wars
Battle of Yarmouk
Byzantine Empire
Rashidun Caliphate
717day.year
Arab–Byzantine wars: Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik begins the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, which will last for nearly a year.
Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik launched the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople in 717, aiming to breach the city’s formidable defenses.
In 717, Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik led a vast Arab fleet and army to lay siege to Constantinople, the formidable capital of the Byzantine Empire.
The siege aimed to breach the Theodosian Walls, renowned for their strength.
Despite initial successes, the Arab forces struggled against Byzantine defensive tactics and counterattacks.
Harsh winter conditions and Greek fire inflicted heavy losses on the besiegers.
Byzantine Emperor Leo III skillfully orchestrated the city’s defense and supply lines.
The protracted siege ultimately failed, marking a crucial defensive triumph for Byzantium.
717
Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik
Second Arab Siege of Constantinople
718day.year
Arab–Byzantine wars: Raising of the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople.
Following a protracted blockade, Byzantine defenders lifted the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople in 718, ending the year-long assault.
After months of relentless siege, Byzantine forces under Emperor Leo III capitalized on Arab fatigue and supply shortages.
The arrival of a relief fleet and fierce counterattacks pressured Maslama’s troops.
Severe winter weather and outbreaks of disease weakened the besiegers further.
Facing dwindling resources, the Arab army abandoned the siege in August 718.
This lifting of the blockade preserved Constantinople’s security and thwarted Arab expansion into Europe.
It stands as a testament to Byzantine resilience and military ingenuity.
718
Second Arab Siege of Constantinople
747day.year
Carloman, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, renounces his position as majordomo and retires to a monastery near Rome. His brother, Pepin the Short, becomes the sole ruler (de facto) of the Frankish Kingdom.
Carloman abdicated his role as mayor of the palace and retired to a monastery in 747, leaving Pepin the Short as the Frankish realm’s sole ruler.
Carloman, frustrated by internal conflicts, stepped down from his role as mayor of the palace of Austrasia and entered a monastery near Rome in 747.
His withdrawal ended the dual rule alongside his brother, Pepin the Short.
Pepin assumed full control of the Frankish Kingdom, strengthening unity and central authority.
This transition marked a crucial step toward the eventual establishment of the Carolingian dynasty.
Carloman’s retirement influenced the political landscape of early medieval Europe.
Pepin’s sole leadership laid the groundwork for his own coronation as King of the Franks in 751.
747
Carloman
Austrasia
majordomo
monastery
Pepin the Short
de facto
Frankish Kingdom
778day.year
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass takes place between the army of Charlemagne and a Basque army.
Charlemagne’s rear guard was ambushed and defeated by Basque forces at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778, later immortalized in epic legend.
In 778, while retreating from a campaign in the Iberian Peninsula, Charlemagne’s army was ambushed at Roncevaux Pass by Basque fighters.
The Frankish rearguard, led by Roland, suffered a devastating defeat due to difficult mountain terrain.
Though a minor skirmish in military terms, the battle gained legendary status through the chanson de geste 'The Song of Roland.'
It highlighted the vulnerability of large medieval armies in narrow mountain passes.
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass became a symbol of heroism and feudal duty in Western literature.
Its legendary portrayal overshadowed its limited strategic impact.
778
Battle of Roncevaux Pass
Charlemagne
805day.year
Noble Erchana of Dahauua grants the Bavarian town of Dachau to the Diocese of Freising
In 805, Duke Erchana of Bavaria granted the town of Dachau to the Diocese of Freising, expanding ecclesiastical lands and influence.
In 805, Erchana, a Bavarian noble, donated the town of Dachau to the Bishopric of Freising as part of a political alliance.
This grant transferred significant local lands and revenues to the Church, bolstering the diocese’s economic base.
The donation reflected the close ties between Bavarian rulers and ecclesiastical institutions.
It paved the way for Freising’s growing influence over regional administration and culture.
The town of Dachau later evolved around the ecclesiastical estates granted in this act.
Such grants were instrumental in shaping the territorial power of medieval Church entities.
805
Bavarian
Dachau
Diocese of Freising
927day.year
The Saracens conquer and destroy Taranto.
Saracen forces conquered and destroyed the city of Taranto in 927, dealing a blow to Byzantine power in southern Italy.
In 927, Muslim (Saracen) raiders from North Africa besieged and overwhelmed the Byzantine-held city of Taranto.
The attackers breached the city walls and engaged in widespread plunder and destruction.
Taranto’s fall disrupted Byzantine control in southern Italy and destabilized regional trade.
The raid exemplified the growing threat of Saracen naval expeditions in the Mediterranean.
Local populations faced heavy taxation and cultural shifts under new occupiers.
Taranto remained an important strategic target in subsequent Byzantine-Saracen conflicts.
927
Saracens
Taranto
982day.year
Holy Roman Emperor Otto II is defeated by the Saracens in the Battle of Capo Colonna, in Calabria.
Holy Roman Emperor Otto II suffered a crushing defeat by Saracen troops at the Battle of Capo Colonna in Calabria in 982.
In 982, Otto II led a campaign into southern Italy intending to curb Saracen influence.
At Capo Colonna in Calabria, his army faced well-entrenched Muslim defenders who exploited local terrain.
The imperial forces suffered a significant defeat with heavy casualties and loss of equipment.
Emperor Otto narrowly escaped capture and retreated northward to regroup.
This setback weakened imperial authority in the region and emboldened Saracen raids.
It underscored the challenges of projecting power across the rugged Italian peninsula.
982
Holy Roman Emperor
Otto II
Saracens
Battle of Capo Colonna
Calabria
1018day.year
Byzantine general Eustathios Daphnomeles blinds and captures Ibatzes of Bulgaria by a ruse, thereby ending Bulgarian resistance against Emperor Basil II's conquest of Bulgaria.
General Eustathios Daphnomeles blinded and captured Bulgarian leader Ibatzes in 1018, ending organized resistance to Emperor Basil II.
In a daring ruse in 1018, General Eustathios Daphnomeles tricked and captured Ibatzes, one of the last Bulgarian rebels.
He blinded Ibatzes and presented him to Emperor Basil II, effectively ending Bulgarian opposition.
The fall of Ibatzes symbolized the conclusion of a long and brutal campaign by Basil II.
Basil’s victory secured Byzantine dominion over Bulgaria and restored imperial frontiers.
The conquest bolstered Byzantium’s wealth and strategic depth in the Balkans.
This episode highlighted Basil II’s combination of military prowess and cunning diplomacy.
1018
Eustathios Daphnomeles
Ibatzes of Bulgaria
Basil II
conquest of Bulgaria
1038day.year
King Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, dies; his nephew, Peter Orseolo, succeeds him.
King Stephen I of Hungary died in 1038, and his nephew Peter Orseolo ascended the throne amid challenges to his rule.
In 1038, Stephen I, the first Christian king of Hungary, passed away after consolidating his realm and church.
His efforts established a strong Christian monarchy and centralized administration in Hungary.
On his deathbed, Stephen designated his nephew Peter Orseolo as his successor.
Peter’s accession marked the continuation of dynastic rule but faced immediate internal challenges.
Stephen was later canonized as Saint Stephen for his role in Christianizing Hungary.
His legacy endured in Hungarian national identity and church traditions.
1038
Stephen I
Peter Orseolo
1057day.year
King Macbeth is killed at the Battle of Lumphanan by the forces of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada.
Scottish King Macbeth dies in battle at Lumphanan, ending his 17-year reign.
Macbeth, who seized the Scottish throne in 1040, met his end on 15 August 1057 at Lumphanan.\nHis army was overwhelmed by Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, later Malcolm III.\nThe clash in Aberdeenshire ended Macbeth's 17-year reign.\nThis defeat displaced a ruler immortalized by Shakespeare's tragedy.\nIt restored the House of Dunkeld and reshaped Scottish monarchy.
1057
Macbeth
Battle of Lumphanan
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada
1070day.year
The Pavian-born Benedictine Lanfranc is appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury in England.
Lanfranc, a Benedictine scholar from Pavia, becomes Archbishop of Canterbury, initiating church reforms in England.
Lanfranc was born near Pavia and educated as a Benedictine monk.\nIn 1070, William the Conqueror appointed him Archbishop of Canterbury.\nHe reorganized the English Church’s administration and canon law.\nLanfranc secured papal support for church governance and monastic discipline.\nUnder his leadership, Christ Church Cathedral was rebuilt.\nHis reforms strengthened ties between the Norman state and the papacy.
1070
Pavian
Benedictine
Lanfranc
Archbishop of Canterbury